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Laser pattern-induced unidirectional lubricant flow for lubrication track replenishment

Friction volume 10, pages 1234–1244 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Effective oil replenishment to the lubrication track of a running bearing is crucial to its sustainable operation. Reliable practical solutions are rare despite numerous theoretical studies were conducted in the last few decades. This paper proposes the use of surface effect, wettability gradient, to achieve the goal. This method is simple and can be nicely implemented using femtosecond laser ablation. A periodic comb-tooth-shaped pattern with anisotropic wetting capability is devised and its effect on the anisotropic spreading behaviour of an oil droplet is studied. Results show that the comb-tooth-shaped pattern enables the rearrangement of oil distribution, thereby escalating oil replenishment to the lubrication track. The effect is due to the unbalanced interfacial force created by the surface pattern. The influence of the shape and the pitch of teeth, which are the two governing factors, on oil transport is also reported. The effects of the newly devised surface pattern on lubrication are experimentally evaluated under the conditions of limited lubricant supply. These results are promising, demonstrating the reduction in bearing friction and the increase in lubricating film thickness.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51775286) and the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (Project No. CityU11269216) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266520, China

    Chenglong Liu, Feng Guo & Xinming Li

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Chenglong Liu & Patrick Wong

Authors
  1. Chenglong Liu
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  2. Feng Guo
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  3. Patrick Wong
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  4. Xinming Li
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Feng Guo or Patrick Wong.

Additional information

Chenglong LIU. He received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Qingdao University of Technology in 2014 and 2020, respectively. Then he joined the Laboratory of Tribology and Surface Engineering at the same university. His research interests include advanced lubrication technology and equipment, experimental and theoretical research on lubrication, and design of low energy consumption bearings.

Feng GUO. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Qingdao Institute of Architecture and Engineering in 1991 and 1998, respectively. He got his Ph.D. degree from City University of Hong Kong in 2003. His is now a chair professor in mechanical engineering in Qingdao University of Technology. His research areas cover the numerical calculation and experiments of film lubrication, optical measurement of lubricating film thickness at sub-micro/nano scale, and instrumentation development and advanced industrial lubrication technique.

Patrick WONG. He obtained his B.Sc. degree from City University, London in 1983 and Ph.D. degree from the University of Hong Kong in 1990. Dr. Wong started his academic career in the City University of Hong Kong since 1990. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the City University of Hong Kong. His research interests include rolling element bearings, interfacial phenomena, and lubrication.

Xinming LI. He got his Ph.D. degree in School of Mechanical Engineering of Qingdao University of Technology in 2012. He is now employed as a full-time associate professor and the executive director of Laboratory of Tribology and Surface Engineering at Qingdao University of Technology. His recent research interests include grease and minimal quantity lubrication mechanisms of rolling bearings, lubricant rheology, and lubrication approaches of machine elements.

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Liu, C., Guo, F., Wong, P. et al. Laser pattern-induced unidirectional lubricant flow for lubrication track replenishment. Friction 10, 1234–1244 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-021-0528-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40544-021-0528-y

Keywords

  • laser surface texture
  • limited lubricant supply
  • comb-tooth-shaped pattern
  • lubricant replenishment
  • friction coefficient